At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead quality engineering and drive automation strategies across various platforms.
- Company: Join Space NK, a leader in omnichannel retail with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth, and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Other info: Collaborate with cross-functional teams and mentor future tech leaders.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by fostering a quality-first culture in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in QA or SDET roles with strong automation skills required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
The Principal SDET will lead the quality engineering function across Space NK's technology landscape, defining and driving a cohesive QA and test automation strategy across web, mobile applications, ERP systems, and cloud/on-premise infrastructure. This role is responsible for embedding a modern, scalable, and efficient testing approach that prioritises automation, reduces regression overhead, and ensures high quality releases aligned with business objectives. Working closely with engineering, DevOps, product, and infrastructure teams, this role will establish best in class testing practices, governance, and tooling to support a fast paced, omnichannel retail environment. This leader will play a key role in fostering a quality first culture, ensuring adherence to change management processes and program delivery standards, while continuously improving test efficiency, coverage, and reliability.
Key Responsibilities
- QA Strategy and Transformation
- Define and Deliver QA Strategy: Establish and execute a comprehensive QA and test automation strategy across all platforms (web, mobile, ERP, cloud, and on-premise systems).
- Automation-First Approach: Drive the adoption of automated testing at all levels (unit, integration, API, UI), reducing reliance on manual regression testing.
- Test Framework Architecture: Design and standardise scalable, maintainable test frameworks and tooling aligned with engineering best practices.
- Quality Metrics and Reporting: Define KPIs and metrics to measure quality, test coverage, defect leakage, and release confidence.
- Test Engineering and Delivery Excellence
- End-to-End Test Ownership: Oversee testing across the full delivery lifecycle, ensuring robust validation of business critical systems.
- Regression Optimisation: Implement efficient regression strategies, including risk based testing and intelligent test selection.
- CI/CD Integration: Collaborate with DevOps and engineering teams to embed automated testing within CI/CD pipelines, enabling continuous testing and faster feedback loops.
- Environment and Data Strategy: Establish best practices for test environments and test data management to ensure reliability and repeatability.
- Governance, Compliance, and Change Management
- Testing Governance: Define and enforce QA standards, processes, and best practices across engineering teams.
- Change Management Alignment: Ensure all testing activities align with organisational change management policies and release controls.
- Program Delivery Standards: Embed quality gates within delivery processes, ensuring adherence to program and engineering standards.
- Risk Management: Identify quality risks early and implement mitigation strategies to protect business continuity.
- Cross-functional Collaboration and Leadership
- Engineering Partnership: Work closely with engineering, product, DevOps, and infrastructure teams to integrate quality into all stages of development.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate quality strategy, risks, and progress clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Team Leadership and Mentorship: Build, lead, and mentor SDET and QA engineers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence.
- Quality Advocacy: Promote a "shift-left" and "quality-first" mindset across the organisation.
- Continuous Improvement and Innovation
- Tooling and Technology Evaluation: Stay current with emerging testing tools, frameworks, and methodologies, recommending improvements where appropriate.
- Process Optimisation: Continuously refine testing processes to improve efficiency, scalability, and effectiveness.
- Performance and Reliability Focus: Support performance, scalability, and resilience testing initiatives across platforms.
- Operational Insight: Contribute to monitoring and production quality feedback loops to drive ongoing improvements.
Qualifications, Knowledge, and Experience
- Education
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field or equivalent experience.
- Experience
- Experience in QA, SDET, or software engineering roles.
- Proven experience driving automation strategy at scale.
- ISTQB Advanced Level Test Management (CTAL-TM) certification or ISTQB Test Manager.
- Technical Skills
- Programming experience (e.g., Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, Python).
- Expertise in modern test automation frameworks (e.g., Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, PyTest, REST API testing tools).
- Deep understanding of CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.
- Experience testing across distributed systems, APIs, and microservices architectures.
- Familiarity with cloud platforms (preferably Azure) and hybrid infrastructure environments.
- Knowledge of ERP system testing and integration validation.
- Testing Expertise
- End-to-end testing strategy across web, mobile, and backend systems.
- Test data management and environment strategy.
- Performance and non-functional testing approaches.
- Governance and Process
- Experience with change management frameworks and release governance.
- Strong understanding of SDLC and Agile delivery methodologies.
- Soft Skills
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong leadership and mentoring/management capabilities.
- Ability to influence engineering culture and drive organisational change.
All applicants must have the right to live and work in the United Kingdom. Space NK are an equal opportunities employer.
Principal SDET employer: Space NK
Space NK is an excellent employer for those seeking a vibrant and rewarding career in the beauty industry. With a focus on teamwork and inclusivity, employees enjoy a supportive work culture that fosters personal growth and development. Located in Manchester, the company offers competitive salaries, generous annual leave, and an impressive employee discount, making it an attractive place for passionate beauty enthusiasts to thrive.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal SDET
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the tech industry, especially those who work at Space NK or similar companies. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical skills and understanding the latest trends in QA and test automation. We recommend practising common interview questions and scenarios related to SDET roles to show you're ready to hit the ground running.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your passion for quality engineering! During interviews, share examples of how you've driven automation strategies or improved testing processes in previous roles. This will help us see your commitment to a quality-first culture.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Space NK.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal SDET
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in QA and automation strategies. We want to see how your skills align with the Principal SDET role, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Since this role requires a solid understanding of various programming languages and testing frameworks, be sure to include specific examples of your technical expertise. We love seeing candidates who can demonstrate their hands-on experience with tools like Selenium or Cypress.
Highlight Leadership Experience:As a Principal SDET, you’ll be leading teams and driving quality initiatives. Make sure to mention any previous leadership roles or mentoring experiences. We’re looking for someone who can inspire and guide others in a fast-paced environment!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Space NK
✨Know Your QA Strategy Inside Out
Make sure you can articulate a comprehensive QA and test automation strategy. Be prepared to discuss how you would establish and execute this across various platforms, including web, mobile, and ERP systems. Highlight your experience in driving automation strategies at scale.
✨Showcase Your Technical Skills
Brush up on your programming skills, especially in languages like Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, or Python. Be ready to discuss modern test automation frameworks such as Playwright or Cypress, and demonstrate your understanding of CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Leadership
This role requires strong cross-functional collaboration. Prepare examples of how you've worked closely with engineering, product, and DevOps teams. Highlight your leadership experience and how you've mentored others in fostering a quality-first culture.
✨Prepare for Change Management Discussions
Understand the importance of change management in testing. Be ready to discuss how you would ensure that all testing activities align with organisational policies and how you’ve implemented quality gates in previous roles to maintain high standards.
